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Media Center Studio Workaround

post #1 of 71
10/15/11 at 7:03pm
Thread Starter 
Media Center Studio is an excellent application that allows you to completely customize the look of your WMC interface including adding and removing buttons and options.

This is just one example of a before and after picture from my blog of what MCS can do to the appearance (edit: apparently must be a blog member to see the pictures):

Before:


After:


The developer for MCS has abandoned the software but thanks to Josh3693, JoshFink and myself we have figured out a way to revitalize this valuable piece of software.

First you will need this file located at my blog (www.assassinhtpcblog.com)

Zipped Directory

Also if you want a txt file of these instructions I have made them available here.

Next, unzip the file

Make sure you have "show hidden folders" enabled under the folders option in your Start -> Control Panel menu.

Now move the unzipped directory to C:\\users\\*your_user_name*\\Appdata\\local\\Apps\\2.0\\mcst ..tion_e7ba95bf63da1a4e_0000.0000_8295f17bcae6f0ac where "mcst..tion_e7ba95bf63da1a4e_0000.0000_8295f17bcae6f0ac" is the name of the directory that you just unzipped and pasted into that folder.

Finally run the executable : Media Center Studio.exe file.

I have a complete guide on how to use MCS over at my blog as well as 18 themes with instructions on how to use the themes.

www.assassinhtpcblog.com

Welcome back Media Center Studio!!!

===========================================================

Alternatively daspannerman at the Media Browser forums has created an installer file. I haven't tried this yet but will do so very soon.

LINK
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post #2 of 71
10/15/11 at 7:07pm
Thread Starter 
Here are a few other guides to try out...

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16973...center-studio/

http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/09/creat...er-studio.html
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post #3 of 71
10/15/11 at 8:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin View Post

Media Center Studio is an excellent application that allows you to completely customize the look of your WMC interface including adding and removing buttons and options.

This is just one example of a before and after picture from my blog of what MCS can do to the appearance (edit: apparently must be a blog member to see the pictures):

Before:


After:


The developer for MCS has abandoned the software but thanks to Josh3693, JoshFink and myself we have figured out a way to revitalize this valuable piece of software.

First you will need this file located at my blog (www.assassinhtpcblog.com)

Zipped Directory

Also if you want a txt file of these instructions I have made them available here.

Next, unzip the file

Make sure you have "show hidden folders" enabled under the folders option in your Start -> Control Panel menu.

Now move the unzipped directory to C:\\users\\*your_user_name*\\Appdata\\local\\Apps\\2.0\\mcst ..tion_e7ba95bf63da1a4e_0000.0000_8295f17bcae6f0ac where "mcst..tion_e7ba95bf63da1a4e_0000.0000_8295f17bcae6f0ac" is the name of the directory that you just unzipped and pasted into that folder.

Finally run the executable : Media Center Studio.exe file.

I have a complete guide on how to use MCS over at my blog as well as 18 themes with instructions on how to use the themes.

www.assassinhtpcblog.com

Welcome back Media Center Studio!!!


I'm glad to see that this program has been revitalized. I have used it with WMC before to customize the screen but either it didn't work, or WMC kept crashing to the point where I had to reset everything back to default in MCS.
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post #4 of 71
10/15/11 at 8:37pm
great, i tried a version a couple weeks ago for a customer (been awhile), and found it wasnt modding all that i wanted, as it used to.

Continued developement great!
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post #5 of 71
10/15/11 at 9:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shayking View Post

great, i tried a version a couple weeks ago for a customer (been awhile), and found it wasnt modding all that i wanted, as it used to.

Continued developement great!

As it stands, you still need to apply the McsFix to get full functionality from Media Center Studio.
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post #6 of 71
10/16/11 at 7:27am
This program never really seemed to work that great for me. Sometimes it would, sometimes it would cause issues. Sometimes it just wouldn't remove what I wanted to.

Is it stable now?
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post #7 of 71
10/16/11 at 7:31am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteboy714 View Post

This program never really seemed to work that great for me. Sometimes it would, sometimes it would cause issues. Sometimes it just wouldn't remove what I wanted to.

Is it stable now?

Theres only one way to find out!

Let us know what you think.
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post #8 of 71
10/16/11 at 7:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin View Post

Theres only one way to find out!

Let us know what you think.

Yah I guess thats right, it used to cause me more headaches then its worth. I'll mess with it one of these days.
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post #9 of 71
10/16/11 at 2:53pm
I'm still able to use it in its current form.
Great to see that it's being picked up though.
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post #10 of 71
10/16/11 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PartyRunner View Post

I'm still able to use it in its current form.
Great to see that it's being picked up though.

If you already have it installed it should still work.

But if you are trying to install it now on a new machine this is the only way to get it to work.
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post #11 of 71
10/16/11 at 4:10pm
So it no longer installs unless you fake it with existing AppData?

It was bad enough that it would reset during a WMC update.
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post #12 of 71
10/16/11 at 4:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bryansj View Post

So it no longer installs unless you fake it with existing AppData?

It was bad enough that it would reset during a WMC update.

The developer abandoned it. That's what happens when you do stuff for free (trust me, I know this firsthand). Eventually you get tired of the hassle and abandon it.

Its a great program. I am glad we firgured out a way to at least get it to work.
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post #13 of 71
10/16/11 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin View Post

Media Center Studio is an excellent application that allows you to completely customize the look of your WMC interface including adding and removing buttons and options.

This is just one example of a before and after picture from my blog of what MCS can do to the appearance (edit: apparently must be a blog member to see the pictures):

Before:


After:


The developer for MCS has abandoned the software but thanks to Josh3693, JoshFink and myself we have figured out a way to revitalize this valuable piece of software.

First you will need this file located at my blog (www.assassinhtpcblog.com)

Zipped Directory

Also if you want a txt file of these instructions I have made them available here.

Next, unzip the file

Make sure you have "show hidden folders" enabled under the folders option in your Start -> Control Panel menu.

Now move the unzipped directory to C:\\users\\*your_user_name*\\Appdata\\local\\Apps\\2.0\\mcst ..tion_e7ba95bf63da1a4e_0000.0000_8295f17bcae6f0ac where "mcst..tion_e7ba95bf63da1a4e_0000.0000_8295f17bcae6f0ac" is the name of the directory that you just unzipped and pasted into that folder.

Finally run the executable : Media Center Studio.exe file.

I have a complete guide on how to use MCS over at my blog as well as 18 themes with instructions on how to use the themes.

www.assassinhtpcblog.com

Welcome back Media Center Studio!!!

You sure it works in the 2.0 directory? I thought it needed to be in the 2.0\\
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post #14 of 71
10/16/11 at 4:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshFink View Post

You sure it works in the 2.0 directory? I thought it needed to be in the 2.0\\

Isn't that what it says in my instructions?
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post #15 of 71
10/16/11 at 5:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin View Post

The developer abandoned it. That's what happens when you do stuff for free (trust me, I know this firsthand). Eventually you get tired of the hassle and abandon it.

Its a great program. I am glad we firgured out a way to at least get it to work.

Sad that it was abandoned without the dev releasing the source code... But who knows? Perhaps it hasn't been abandoned and the developer will make a return someday.

Meanwhile, I stumbled across this over at the windows experts forums which looks promising as a replacement for MCS. I have not given it a try yet but plan to before too long. Any here know anything about it?
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post #16 of 71
10/16/11 at 6:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by assassin View Post

Isn't that what it says in my instructions?

Just realized that your text file does but the instructions in the first post do not.
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post #17 of 71
10/16/11 at 6:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh3693 View Post

Sad that it was abandoned without the dev releasing the source code... But who knows? Perhaps it hasn't been abandoned and the developer will make a return someday.

Meanwhile, I stumbled across this over at the windows experts forums which looks promising as a replacement for MCS. I have not given it a try yet but plan to before too long. Any here know anything about it?

Honestly though, maybe I'm in the minority but I usually have zero problems with it. Even on SP1. The only thing i've ever had to do was rename the statresources.dll file (I think that's what it's called). Never anything else.
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post #18 of 71
10/16/11 at 6:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshFink View Post

Just realized that your text file does but the instructions in the first post do not.

I think its the same thing...

From the text file:

Quote:


C:\\users\\*your_user_name*\\Appdata\\local\\Apps\\2.0\\*hug e_strin g_of_junk*\\

From the first post:

Quote:


Now move the unzipped directory to C:\\users\\*your_user_name*\\Appdata\\local\\Apps\\2.0\\mcst ..tion_ e7ba95bf63da1a4e_0000.0000_8295f17bcae6f0ac where "mcst..tion_e7ba95bf63da1a4e_0000.0000_8295f17bcae6f0ac" is the name of the directory that you just unzipped and pasted into that folder.

I basically just showed the name of the directory file in the first post of this thread whereas I did not post the name of the directory file in the txt file --- instead using *huge_string_of_junk* to denote the name of the file.
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post #19 of 71
10/17/11 at 6:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh3693 View Post

Sad that it was abandoned without the dev releasing the source code... But who knows? Perhaps it hasn't been abandoned and the developer will make a return someday.

Meanwhile, I stumbled across this over at the windows experts forums which looks promising as a replacement for MCS. I have not given it a try yet but plan to before too long. Any here know anything about it?

Thanks I'm going to give this a try.
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post #20 of 71
10/17/11 at 7:35am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteboy714 View Post

Thanks I'm going to give this a try.

Agreed. Looks awesome.
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post #21 of 71
10/17/11 at 10:49am
Maybe I missed it - so regarding the changes to MCS that have been made: does this mean we no longer need to rename the startresources.dll for it to work and keep our changes?
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post #22 of 71
10/17/11 at 11:11am
I just tried MCS according to Assassin's instructions and works perfectly. Plus applying the MCSFix file seems to fix the problem of the start menu items not updating when I had deleted certain sections (like Movies and Sports section).
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post #23 of 71
10/17/11 at 12:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tgrinch View Post

Maybe I missed it - so regarding the changes to MCS that have been made: does this mean we no longer need to rename the startresources.dll for it to work and keep our changes?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh3693 View Post

As it stands, you still need to apply the McsFix to get full functionality from Media Center Studio.

The mcsfix, if you choose to execute it, eliminates the need to rename your .dll files.

There have been no changes to the original program with this workaround. It was only created because the original app, which appears to have been abandoned, was only installable via a clickonce application reference (web installer). Because the creators website adventmedia.com is now no longer in existence, the installer shortcut would return a server not found error when activated. This workaround only makes it possible to install this extremely useful app on new builds/windows installs.
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post #24 of 71
10/19/11 at 1:02am
This is an FYI for anyone that may be interested.

When I originally started to use this great program ( maybe year or so ago ), I searched for the install directory ( I believe the one specified by Assassin, dont remember, long ago) and copied it to some other location ( in my case, to my backup D drive on another drive ).

I then moved the \\programdata\\Media Center folder to another location (in my case the same drive and folder where the program now resides ) and then created a MKLINK to that new location.

In this way I was able to backup both the program and generated files permanently. Since then, I have probably formatted at least twice and have not lost the program nor the data generated by the program ( I believe themes, start menu locations, ect ).

Would love to get my hands on the source code !!!

Good luck guys
Tester
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post #25 of 71
10/19/11 at 9:09am
Awesome. I've been shying away from this due to a non productive experience in the past with it,, I do believe I'll take another a crack at it with your new instructions. Hoorah !
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post #26 of 71
10/20/11 at 12:22pm
Didn't work for me. Is the 2.0 folder suppose to be there already? I created it and put assassin's directory in the 2.0 folder and didn't work?
Is it a specific net.framework ?
I'll just wait for that new app poster above linked to. Money well spent
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post #27 of 71
10/20/11 at 12:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by T0R0 View Post

Didn't work for me. Is the 2.0 folder suppose to be there already? I created it and put assassin's directory in the 2.0 folder and didn't work?
Is it a specific net.framework ?
I'll just wait for that new app poster above linked to. Money well spent

My 2.0 folder was already there.
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post #28 of 71
10/20/11 at 2:10pm
I reformatted recently so I might be missing extra stuff, my 2.0 folder was definitely NOT there however.
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post #29 of 71
10/20/11 at 2:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thetesterman View Post

Would love to get my hands on the source code !!!

One word: Reflector.
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post #30 of 71
10/24/11 at 4:14pm
Can anyone host since the original authors website is gone?
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